Thursday, October 9, 2008

Ah, the autumn...the leaves are falling, the kids are in school, the temperature can't make up its mind as to what it wants to do. For the next few days, it's going to be incredibly beautiful outside...much too pretty to spend your days cooped up indoors! Pretty soon, our Indian Summer will be replaced with bitter temps and our leaf peeping with hot toddies by the fireplace. I love all the seasons, but to me there is nothing better than the time of year when it's just too nice not to take a walk during the day and feel the wind and sun on my face; at night I cozy up with a shawl and some tea in front of the fire to dissipate the slight chill that now is about. Days like these are the ones I wait all year for!

Of course, I had a reason for the quote I listed above...have you ever pondered about something that just does not have an answer? Something that most people would find ludicrous or just plain silly? Like why the commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken sometimes play "Sweet Home Alabama" in the background? Why if men are from Mars and women are from Venus, wouldn't we all be aliens? Why are golf clothes so hideous? Why people like me have not had their laptops taken away by their friends yet? I question everything these days...

These boots were made for walking...There are lots of great places to get out and see the leaves changing color! I'm a leaf peeper myself, and I have missed some of the brilliance of the maples, but my daily walks in the woods are proving to be a visual treat. Check out the following parks for a hike or picnic:

West Hills features the Walt Whitman Trail and Jayne's Hill, the highest point on Long Island.

The William Floyd Estate is still open, and FREE house tours are available from 10-4. There are some in depth programs as well, including Three Centuries of Floyd Furniture and Old Mastic House: Simple Architectural Tour. Call 631-399-2030 for more info! (Note to my design students...this would count as extra credit on your project!)

Make me laugh!Home movies can be a great way of capturing some of life's sweetest (and some bittersweet) moments. Cimema Arts is presenting Home Movie Day! Click on the link to find out more, or if you have a movie you might like to present!

I'm kind of bummed as I found out about a cool event these guys had going on a wee bit too late! This one I'm going to post kind of early so you can make plans...The Silent Clowns film series is the longest one of its kind in NYC...coming up is a Halloween special featuring John Barrymore in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the 26th.

Walk to the beat of your own drummer...The Staller Center presents the Contemporary Chamber Players--Percussion Plus on Wednesday, October 15. No ticket information is given for the others in this series, so I'm willing to bet it's FREE!

Now, this one exceeds Cheap Date guidelines, but I'm putting it out there as it's worth a mention...advance tickets for Marshall Crenshaw at University Cafe are $25 each...he'll be there on the 19th.

Wow...these guys are still playing! The Moroccos will be at Brookhaven National Lab on the 18th! Order your tickets online and they are only $15 each (will be $20 at the door!).

On Saturday the 18 (Again! There's just too much good music this weekend!) Shenole Latimer will be playing with Gail Storm at Sparky's Texas BBQ.

We're coming to get you...Halloween happenings are going on all over! Here's some family friendly events:

From the 30th-November 1st, the Long Island Ducks will be hosting a Haunted House at Citibank Park...$5 get you in the door. If you go on Halloween night, there will be QuackerJack's Halloween Extravaganza ($10 per person) with costume contests, trick or treating, and Grucci fireworks!

BBGG Farms in St. James on 25A (North of Deepwells) has a great little pumpkin patch, crafts and plants for sale, a corn maze, and MORE! Free to get in, but everything is priced separately, so read the signs.

One more...the Cradle of Aviation is hosting Haunted Hangars...daytime is for the kiddies, but the nighttime is for the groovie ghoulies like me! (Hey, anyone else remember that cartoon? That was one of my all time favorites as a kid! And for those of you who know me now, you're probably all thinking, "Why does that NOT surprise me?)

Pumpkins and cornstalks and mums, oh my...I started new medication for my thyroid a few days ago (THAT was what was causing all the other problems...my thyroid shut down! Who would have thought? Now I have to take synthetic hormones to get my pituitary to slow down...mood swings are supposed to be one of the side effects. Wonderful...This is what the new man in my life gets to deal with, me swinging wildly from teddy bear to Godzilla. Get yer boxing gloves ready, honey!) and I was WIRED today! I rearranged all the furniture, scrubbed everything down, and did up my deck for the season...I was all hopped up! I got all of my plants and cornstalks at Daisy Garden in Bayport...I LOVE THIS PLACE! Mums for $2.50 each, cornstalks for $7, how can you go wrong? (However, trying to get the cornstalks home was a bit more problematic as they were over 8' high and I drive a Yaris hatchback...a lot of people got a good laugh seeing my little tiny speck of a car driving home at fifteen miles an hour with the hatch open, the hazards on, and about four feet of cornstalks sticking out the back...)

For Bruce...As I had mentioed in last post, there will be a benefit for Bruce Parker this weekend at the Off-Key Tikki in Patchogue, $10 gets you in. I'm asking you all to do me a favor and try to attend (including all of you that don't know me personally, don't know Bruce, etc...). I know the guy. He's incredible. One of the nicest guys I know. Make a point of going. Email me if you have questions.

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CRESLI trip 2008

WATCH THE BIRD!!! Our mascot, Lucky. This little guy got lost and was flying after the ship for miles. He finally landed, and soon got over his fear of people, making a point of hopping on everyone's shoes and just hanging out!